It was here, about 100 years ago, that the Singapore Sling is said to have been invented. Today, drinking a Singapore Sling at the Raffles is on the "must do" list for tourists. The place to go for the classic Singapore Sling is the Long Bar.
Inside the Long Bar
And here it is: the Singapore Sling.
The Singapore Sling, as served by the Raffles Hotel, is made according to a recipe painstakingly reconstructed after it had been lost for decades.
Now the bad news: it is expensive. When I first tried it 17 years ago, it cost US$6. Now it costs about US$19! Second, unless specifically arranged for in advance, they are pre-made. They simply fill the glass with a ready made drink. But the drink is made fresh in batches using the authentic ingredients. Third, when I tasted it, it was a little heavy on the grenadine, giving it a slightly cough-syrupy taste that overpowered the other flavors to some degree. I asked what brand they used and they informed me it was Bols Grenadine, which is a very good product. There was just a little too much in it. But grenadine is needed for the classic pink color.
Don't get me wrong, it's still an excellent cocktail, and drinking one in the place it was invented is a sublime experience for a cocktail enthusiast.
On the right: 3 of the 8 ingredients of the Singapore Sling.
On the left: a choice of gins.
